Chapter 36: He is Mountain Spirit Xiang Ping

“Be quiet,” Duan Wenxuan whispered as he observed the wild boar slowly approaching.

The wild boar did not exhibit overt aggression towards Duan Wenxuan for two reasons: firstly, it sensed the dangerous aura emanating from him; secondly, Duan Wenxuan also conveyed a sense that they could communicate somehow.

This was no illusion but rather the effect of his innate animal affinity, acquired from the white deer earlier.

As Duan Wenxuan drew closer, the wild boar gradually retreated instead.

When about five or six steps away, Duan Wenxuan slowly squatted down, maintaining eye contact with the boar. “I’m not here to harm you.”

The wild boar’s wariness began to diminish.

Building on this progress, Duan Wenxuan cautiously extended his hand and, inch by inch, managed to touch the boar’s sharp tusks. Seeing the boar didn’t resist, he even gently stroked its snout.

—Hnnn hnnn

The wild boar emitted a few indistinct grunts, but its gaze had softened significantly.

Duan Wenxuan glanced briefly at Kim Tae-hwi before turning back to the boar. “Is there something I can help you with?”

The wild boar grunted again, turning its head to glance behind and then back at Duan Wenxuan. Immediately, Duan Wenxuan stood up, and simultaneously, the wild boar sprinted off. Duan Wenxuan swiftly activated his internal energy, employing lightness techniques to catch up.

Kim Tae-hui had already straightened himself, watching as Duan Wenxuan effortlessly navigated the mountainside, even communicating with the wild boar. A strange sense of reverence seemed to envelop him. Ignoring his wounded leg, Kim Tae-hwi staggered to his feet and clumsily followed behind.

“Is this the place?”

Finally arriving at their destination, Duan Wenxuan saw a massive wild boar lying near a trap, occasionally gasping for breath but clearly struggling more to inhale than exhale. Nearby, there was another leaner boar constantly nudging the nearly deceased one.

Hearing movement, the weaker boar tensed and quickly turned around.

—Hmmph—

The boar that had pursued Kim Tae-hwi approached and rubbed against the leaner boar.

Duan Wenxuan slowly moved closer. The thinner boar showed no intention of attacking him, yet it couldn’t immediately become affectionate either. Instinctively, it took a few steps backward.

“It’s dying; I can’t save it.” Duan Wenxuan crouched beside the wild boar, which was already losing its body heat. His voice carried a hint of distant tranquility, yet within it, there was also a subtle note of sorrow. Sensing Duan Wenxuan’s compassion, the tall, robust wild boar lowered its head and gently nudged his hand.

“Life and death follow their natural laws. You should leave now.”

When Kim Taehui finally caught up, he was still some distance away. He observed the other two wild boars, with apparent intelligence, bowing their bodies and emitting mournful cries. After nudging Duan Wenxuan one last time, they turned and sprinted back into the wilderness.

”…Mountain Spirit…” Unable to hold on any longer, Kim Taehui collapsed onto the ground.

Duan Wenxuan rushed over to help him up. Half-conscious, tears streamed continuously down Kim Taehui’s face, and he repeatedly muttered phrases like “I am guilty… seeking forgiveness from the Mountain Spirit…”

“You mistook me for the Mountain Spirit?” It suddenly dawned on Duan Wenxuan.

He had extensively studied the Li Kingdom’s folklore, myths, and tales about spirits, including legends of mountain deities. The Li Kingdom is small, with limited mountains, so in their mythology, the position of the Mountain Spirit held significant importance.

In folklore, spirits residing within mountains were called “mountain demons.” Those who sacrificed themselves to save others embodied the highest virtue and could be revered as “mountain gods,” receiving offerings from the people.

To put it simply, according to Li Kingdom’s legends, various mountain spirits and creatures inhabited renowned rivers and peaks. Most of these entities survived by deceiving travelers, often leading to their harm or death, and were known as mountain demons. However, there were rare instances where kind-hearted spirits would go out of their way to rescue individuals, guiding them safely through treacherous mountain paths. When such benevolent mountain demons died while saving lives, if humans honored them with sacrifices, they would ascend to become mountain gods.

Duan Wenxuan had initially planned for his elaborate attire, combined with the unseasonal cherry blossoms blooming, to portray him as the spirit of a cherry tree. Yet unexpectedly, he was mistaken for a mountain god instead. After considering this twist, Duan Wenxuan decided it might work just as well.

As he pondered, faint shouts reached his ears, likely indicating the arrival of rescuers. Transferring some more inner strength into Kim Tae-hui, Duan Wenxuan opened a small gate directly back to the hotel, having temporarily placed its counterpart near the outskirts earlier.

When Kim Tae-hui woke up in the hospital, his wife rushed to him with a weary expression and swollen eyes, asking how he felt. Upon further glance, he noticed that his son, daughter, and their spouses had also arrived.

Shortly after, a doctor entered.

Following a thorough examination, the doctor smiled at the family’s inquiries and said, “It’s good that you’re awake. From what we can see now, there are no major issues. However, the wound on your thigh is quite deep, and there’s some fracture in your foot bones. You’ll need ample time for recovery.”

Kim Tae-hui looked around dazedly before suddenly struggling upright, exclaiming, “Quick, I must go back! I saw the mountain spirit, I saw the mountain spirit!”

His wife and children were momentarily stunned, fearing he might have suffered brain damage from the fall.

The doctor promptly advised him to calm down and asked his family to step outside. Once Kim Tae-hui was somewhat composed, four or five serious-looking police officers entered the room.

They began by questioning him about the cause of the accident.

The incident itself was quite straightforward. The environmental protection around Xiangping Mountain’s cherry blossom garden was excellent, leading to an overpopulation of wild boars on the mountain. Considering this situation, residents near the cherry blossom garden could apply for the status of ‘hunter’, with the local government issuing hunter licenses accordingly. Each hunter had a quota for the number of wild boars they could legally hunt within a year.

Kim Tae-hui was a licensed wild boar hunter from a nearby village. A television crew arrived wanting to film an episode focused on veteran hunters and wild boars, so they hired Kim Tae-hui for the task.

Unexpectedly, they encountered a group of wild boars acting more frenzied than usual. When their trap successfully caught one boar, two others charged towards them unexpectedly.

This scenario took everyone by surprise.

Initially, when Kim Tae-hui recounted his story, the police had few doubts. This was because one of the escaped female reporters had already provided detailed information after calling for help. The routine investigation was primarily due to the photographer’s death; however, from the scene, it was clear that he died from wild boar attacks and collisions.

Nonetheless, they found it intriguing how fortunate Kim Tae-hwi seemed - despite being gored by a wild boar, he miraculously survived. Although severely injured, the boar did not manage to kill him.

“You’re quite lucky,” remarked one of the officers.

”…No!” Upon hearing this, Kim Tae-hwi abruptly lifted his head, his brows deeply furrowed.

As an experienced hunter, his features were rugged and strong, particularly conveying a sense of unwavering determination. “No, it wasn’t luck. It was the Mountain God who saved me. The Mountain God of Xiangping still exists; He appeared and rescued me.”

The officers exchanged glances. In the past, they might have dismissed such claims, but circumstances had changed now.

Half an hour later, Kim Tae-hui’s hospital room area was sealed off, with more police officers and highly specialized psychologists arriving to interact with him.

This continued until evening.

In the ward, a young man, around 25 or 26 years old, emerged looking quite dashing with his hands casually tucked into his trench coat pockets. The police officer at the door even nodded in acknowledgment towards him.

Unfazed, the young man reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Upon closer inspection, it was a ladies’ cigarette, devoid of the usual tobacco smell and instead carrying a subtle lemon fragrance.

Despite being inside a hospital, he lit up without anyone stopping him. As he finished smoking the slender lemon-scented ladies’ cigarette, his phone rang from within his pocket.

“Shan Ye, how did it go?”

The young man, Shan Ye, wasn’t an ordinary individual. The Shan family had been renowned as powerful exorcists and spiritual masters in ancient Li Kingdom times, with numerous legends surrounding them. Among these, the most famous figure was Shan Lingyu, a revered ancestor of the Shan lineage. During the Li Kingdom era, she was known for her unparalleled beauty while also being the strongest exorcist of her time within the Shan clan.

However, when the king summoned her to become his consort, she refused. During her subsequent resistance, she fled into the wilderness and faced a joint attack by mountain spirits. Ultimately, overpowered, she was forcibly taken as a wife by a snow demon. Later, after giving birth to a son, she died. Following her death, her soul transformed into a massive Xiangliu tree, specifically designed to lure loving couples and kill them. It was said that due to her own misfortune, she developed hatred towards all loving couples in the world.

Of course, initially, no one took these tales seriously; many were simply fabricated stories for entertainment. According to the Shan family’s genealogy records, Shanshan Lingyu did indeed initially reject the king, but eventually, she could not defy her family’s will. After only two years in the palace, she died from deep-seated resentment.

But now, things have changed.

Around half a year ago, inexplicable shifts began appearing across the world. The Liyu jade, long revered within the Shan family, suddenly started emitting a faint glow.

Naturally, the Shan family investigated the Liryu jade further. They discovered that its peculiar abilities manifested only when held by Shan Ye. Consequently, Shan Ye rapidly gained prominence within both the Shan family and Japan.

Currently, amidst secrecy, the Li Kingdom has established a guard force, with Yamano being one of its members and holding the position of deputy captain. The captain was transferred from the police department and does not possess any mystical abilities. Yamano’s role as second-in-command stems from his laid-back nature; indifferent to responsibilities, he often dislikes staying within the guard force, sometimes making him untraceable for days on end.

“Yamano!” With no response forthcoming, the voice over the phone carried a hint of exasperation.

Yamano had a slender build, giving off an air of pale despondency. He glanced around briefly before drawling, “It’s true. Based on what those experts concluded after an entire afternoon, Kim Tae-hui indeed saw the ‘mountain spirit’. However, whether it’s the mountain spirit he believes or truly is the mountain spirit remains unknown.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

After a while, the voice spoke again, “The guard force will temporarily disperse the tourists near Mount Xiangping. Additionally, we need to dispatch personnel for a comprehensive inspection and sweep of Mount Xiangping, and you will lead the team.”

“No, no, no.” Yamano shook his head. “We can’t do this. Over the past year, the Li Kingdom has dealt with six mysterious incidents already. Apart from resolving two, the rest have been temporarily sealed away.”

“You’re well aware that mysteries can be troublesome, so why pursue this? If what Kim Tae-hui says is true, the Mountain God would grieve over the wild boar’s death. By making such a grand disturbance and disrupting the tranquility of Mount Xiangping, there’s a fear it might provoke His anger. In that case, I certainly don’t want to go courting my own demise.”

”…Then what do you suggest?”

Shan Ye chuckled, “Temporarily disperse the tourists and then have Kim Tae-hwi return. He firmly believes in the Mountain God and wishes to make further offerings. Let’s assist him and see if he can draw out the Mountain God. If as he claims, the Mountain God is benevolent, our sincere intentions should prevent Him from becoming angry when we seek an audience.”

“Do you have confidence in this approach?”

“It’s definitely better than searching the mountain indiscriminately.”

After much discussion, the other party finally agreed to Shan Ye’s plan.